|
|
May 12, 2015: "Lois Lane: Fallout" Review
"Lois Lane is starting a new life in Metropolis. An Army brat, Lois has lived all over--and seen all kinds of things. (Some of them defy explanation, like the near-disaster she witnessed in Kansas in the middle of one night.) But now her family is putting down roots in the big city, and Lois is determined to fit in. Stay quiet. Fly straight. As soon as she steps into her new high school, though, she can see it won't be that easy. A group known as the Warheads is making life miserable for another girl at school. They're messing with her mind, somehow, via the high-tech immersive videogame they all play. Not cool. Armed with her wit and her new snazzy job as a reporter, Lois has her sights set on solving this mystery. But sometimes it's all a bit much. Thank goodness for her maybe-more-than-a friend, a guy she knows only by his screenname, SmallvilleGuy..."
When I first got this assignment, I wasn't sure what to think. This is a "Young Adult" novel about a teenaged Lois Lane and I am hardly "Young Adult". I took a deep breath and opened the book. I'm so glad that I did! I was hooked from the beginning.
Lois isn't the typical teenager, she's Lois Lane in a teen environment with all of the qualities that we love about the character. She has a new school in a new town with hopefully a new start. She quickly discovers something worth investigating and when given the opportunity, reports on it as part of her new job with the Daily Scoop. With help from her online friend, "Smallvilleguy", she digs deeper and finds out the truth. A truth that needs to be exposed.
This book is a real page turner. As a matter of fact, I considered taking this book to work with me to read at lunch. (I have a full-time job outside of my Supersite assignments.) I decided not to, because I realized that my whole day would turn into "lunch". I didn't want to put the book down!
Author Gwenda Bond does a wonderful job of showcasing Lois and allowing her to shine in her own right as opposed to presenting her as a secondary character to Superman. Readers get to know Lois as a teenager and are there when she takes her first steps into a career in journalism which builds upon an attitude of sticking up for what she thinks is right.
The book's high school setting along with many references to modern day teen culture might turn away some older readers but the presentation of a very solid and serious story are more than enough to pull in anyone with a mind to give it a chance.
While the book does touch on the basic plot points of Lois' comic book origins, it also really stands on its own and is a perfect read for anyone who loves a good mystery, with some romance, and a tenacious lead character.
All-in-all, "Lois Lane: Fallout" is a wonderful addition to any comic book fan or young adult reader's library and I for one am looking forward to future installments in this wonderful series. Gwenda Bond, you have a new fan!
